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In September I moved into an apartment that doesn't have much in the way of natural lighting, so I do not feel that my aquarium is getting sufficient light. I know that fish do not feel happiness or depression as humans do but I would think perhaps their energy levels and health could be affected by good or bad lighting. I do have a general fluorescent hood light on my tank. Is this light good enough? I also sometimes turn on a floor lamp I have near the tank that has a daylight 15-watt CFL bulb installed.

Is there anything else I should do that would make their environment healthy where lighting is concerned, or is what I provide them sufficient?

If the room has natural lighting, it usually will be enough. Personally, I think the light needs to be on for a couple of hours a day, usually during feeding. I make it a habit to constantly be monitoring my fish and the status of their health....you just can't do that without some type of light over the tank.

The room does have natural lighting but one thing I dislike about my new apartment is that there really aren't many windows, or what windows are there just aren't as big as I'm used to. I fear that as my aquarium is in a corner they are not getting enough light. They are getting some, though. I guess if all they need is a little bit then everything is fine. But just to be on the safe side I will start turning on the hood light a couple hours a day.

Just out of curiosity - the hood light I have is the factory "default", and I'm wondering if there is some super neat light that can fit in the hood that is better for fish health or more appealing aesthetically? Do you guys use what came with your tank or did you get something special?

My tanks are right across a small room from sliding glass doors and even with just the light from those doors the tanks are still uber dark. I have my lights set for 8 hours a day (used to be more but started getting hair algae.) I have my lights come on at 2pm - so they just have the light from the glass doors until then - and then it goes off at 10pm. (We have it that way, so it's only 8 hours a day, but it's on when we are home and actually able to enjoy watching them.)

In every tank I own, I have taken what may have come with them (hood) and replaced it with glass tops and then put whatever light I wanted on top. I think it looks better that the hood. Larger tanks don't usually come with hoods and most only do if you buy a complete kit. Really up to you. If you plant to have a planted tank, you may want to change. It's not so limiting.